God Gets All The Credit
One of the greatest reminders I’ve received this year is that while we all may put forth effort to achieve what we want in life, we are ultimately responsible to give God the credit. There’s so much in this world beyond our imagination and our gratitude, the least we can do is look up to the one who made it. He deserves every bit of glory ascribed to his name.
There is something freeing about giving up the credit we so often desire, no matter the scenario. When we see a beautiful form of nature, it is not a scientific miracle, it is an intentional piece of God’s creative history. When prayers are answered, it is not a coincidence, it is God who answered them with his providence. When we seem to accomplish something special, it is not us who did it but through the grace and mercy of God. As soon as you give away who is responsible for the credit, freedom ensues.
On the other end, we must also accept the harsh parts of life from God, too. Think of the famous verse from Job, the question he asks his wife when they receive the terrible news of losing their children, their farm, and more: “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” For years I only understood this verse in practical terms, but in suffering, I grew to learn it more fully. The level of trust we must develop in God goes deeply when we surrender to him in pain. When we give him glory on the good and bad days.
Please don’t think this is a way of explaining away everything in a Christian way, a way of avoiding complex answers to things. Nothing could be further from the truth. On the contrary, giving God glory shows a level of humility, contentment, and thankfulness inside the heart of a believer. I love the way Jerry Bridges summarizes this idea: “Humility with regard to ourselves, then, consists in ascribing all that we are, all that we have, and all that we have accomplished to the God who gives us grace.” When you sense the sincere feeling to give your credit to the grace of God, it is like receiving a beautiful gift – the best gift in the universe.
*References from Job 2:10 and The Practice of Godliness by Jerry Bridges
